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Former Aston Villa assistant manager Steve Clarke believes that the possibility of relegation has spurred the club's upturn in form.

Back to back wins against Derby County and Bristol City have steered Steve Bruce’s side away from the drop zone after they suffered a 10-game run without victory.

Clarke, who was the assistant to former manager Roberto Di Matteo, told Sky Sports that Villa’s first consecutive wins since December could help them going into next season: “I saw them at Newcastle the other week, where they played well until the goal and after that there was no reaction.

Former Aston Villa assistant boss Steve Clarke at Bodymoor Heath

“At the end of that game you’re thinking they should be looking over their shoulder at the relegation places rather than worry about anything else.

“They seem to have done that because they’ve had two good home wins.

“That’s given them a little bit of breathing space and you would expect them now to push on and finish the season quite strongly in preparation for a promotion push next year.”

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Following the dire 2015/16 campaign, the 53-year-old believes that Di Matteo was building good foundations at the club but needed more time: “Villa as a club have been on a negative spiral for about five or six years now, they’ve had a lot of managers, a lot of upheaval.

“I think the club needed continuity.

“When Roberto went into the club, one of his aims was to change the playing staff.

“He did that, with 11 players in and 11 players out so, it’s always going to take a bit of time on the back of that to get that continuity and that consistency of performances that you’re looking for.

“Roberto, unfortunately, didn’t get that, he was moved on.”

Former Aston Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo during the draw with Newcastle United

The former West Brom boss, was also critical of the transfer policy used at Villa Park, with 16 new players coming into the club this season.

Seven of which joined in January, which is Clarke’s reason for the lack of results in 2017: “They got to the January window and then signed another six or seven players with another six or seven out the door.

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“So even more upheaval than the summer and their fortunes have suffered a little bit since the turn of the year because of that.

"But, it’s a big club with a big fan base and I’m sure if they’re patient and with the right backing from the owner, they will get it right in the future and they will come back to the Premier League where they deserve to be.”